The objective of this project is to characterize more fully the University of Missouri strain of Mystromys albicaudatus as a model for the study of diabetic microangiopathy. If the correlations are similar to those in human diabetes, this will establish Mystromys as an eminently valid model for the study of the diabetic state. These studies will be conducted by electron microscopy using skeletal muscle obtained by sequential biopsy and autopsy. The animals will be classified as diabetic or non-diabetic on the basis of previously established criteria using blood glucose levels. Statistical comparison of basement membrane thickness in age-matched diabetic and control animals will be used to determine the presence or absence of disease related capillary basement membrane thickening.